SCI和EI收录∣中国化工学会会刊

Chin.J.Chem.Eng. ›› 2018, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (12): 2654-2663.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2018.02.034

• Materials and Product Engineering • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Synthesis, optimization and characterization of biochar based catalyst from sawdust for simultaneous esterification and transesterification

Suchith Chellappan1, Vaishakh Nair2, Sajith V.3, Aparna K.1   

  1. 1 Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India;
    2 Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland;
    3 School of Nano Science and Technology, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India
  • Received:2017-06-13 Revised:2018-01-16 Online:2019-01-09 Published:2018-12-28
  • Contact: Aparna K.
  • Supported by:

    Supported by TEQIP-Ⅱ sanctioned under NITC/TEQIP-Ⅱ/R&D/2015-16, National Institute of Technology Calicut.

Synthesis, optimization and characterization of biochar based catalyst from sawdust for simultaneous esterification and transesterification

Suchith Chellappan1, Vaishakh Nair2, Sajith V.3, Aparna K.1   

  1. 1 Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India;
    2 Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland;
    3 School of Nano Science and Technology, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India
  • 通讯作者: Aparna K.
  • 基金资助:

    Supported by TEQIP-Ⅱ sanctioned under NITC/TEQIP-Ⅱ/R&D/2015-16, National Institute of Technology Calicut.

Abstract: The development of a benign environmental catalyst for the generation of biodiesel is an area of importance to reduce the overall usage of fossil fuels. In the current work, biochar was produced by slow pyrolysis of Irul wood sawdust. The optimization for biochar generation was carried out for different reaction temperatures and heating durations. The biochar was used to prepare solid acid catalysts by sulfonation process. The characterization of biochar and the sulfonated catalyst were carried out using Elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Surface area analyzer (BET). The characterization results showed that sulfonation of biochar resulted in biochar based solid acid catalyst containing various functional acidic groups like weak acidic -OH groups, strong acidic -COOH and SO3H groups. The total acid density and sulfonic acid group density of catalyst were estimated and showed excellent acidic sites concentration which gives a good catalytic activity for biodiesel production through simultaneous esterification and transesterification. The enhanced catalytic activity is due to the high acid density of SO3H groups and the reactant accessibility towards acidic sites as well as the strong affinity between the hydrophilic reactants and the neutral OH groups which are bonded with the polycyclic aromatic carbon rings. The performance of biochar catalyst for the production of biodiesel was evaluated by comparing the yield obtained. The FTIR and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) were also carried out for the analysis of biodiesel produced.

Key words: Biochar, Biochar based catalyst, Pyrolysis, Biomass, Sulfonation

摘要: The development of a benign environmental catalyst for the generation of biodiesel is an area of importance to reduce the overall usage of fossil fuels. In the current work, biochar was produced by slow pyrolysis of Irul wood sawdust. The optimization for biochar generation was carried out for different reaction temperatures and heating durations. The biochar was used to prepare solid acid catalysts by sulfonation process. The characterization of biochar and the sulfonated catalyst were carried out using Elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Surface area analyzer (BET). The characterization results showed that sulfonation of biochar resulted in biochar based solid acid catalyst containing various functional acidic groups like weak acidic -OH groups, strong acidic -COOH and SO3H groups. The total acid density and sulfonic acid group density of catalyst were estimated and showed excellent acidic sites concentration which gives a good catalytic activity for biodiesel production through simultaneous esterification and transesterification. The enhanced catalytic activity is due to the high acid density of SO3H groups and the reactant accessibility towards acidic sites as well as the strong affinity between the hydrophilic reactants and the neutral OH groups which are bonded with the polycyclic aromatic carbon rings. The performance of biochar catalyst for the production of biodiesel was evaluated by comparing the yield obtained. The FTIR and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) were also carried out for the analysis of biodiesel produced.

关键词: Biochar, Biochar based catalyst, Pyrolysis, Biomass, Sulfonation